Washington Navy Yard

Washington Navy Yard is a former shipyard and ordnance plant located on the Anacostia River in Washington, D.C., founded in 1799 as a shipyard for the United States Navy by Thomas Jefferson, with the help of Benjamin Stoddert, the first United States Secretary of the Navy. The yard was built under the supervision of William Penn, and Pierre Charles L'Enfant, the architect who designed Washington, D.C.. The yard was also home to the United States Marine Corps and the United States Coast Guard, with notable residents including John Adams, Theodore Roosevelt, and Franklin D. Roosevelt.

● History

The history of the yard dates back to the Quasi-War with France, when the United States Congress authorized the construction of a shipyard on the Anacostia River. The yard was designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe, and built with the help of Robert Fulton, who later designed the Clermont (steamboat). During the War of 1812, the yard was attacked by British Army troops, led by General Robert Ross, and Admiral George Cockburn, who also burned down the White House and other buildings in Washington, D.C.. The yard was later rebuilt, and became a major center for the production of naval artillery, with notable figures including John Ericsson, who designed the USS Monitor, and Alfred Thayer Mahan, who wrote The Influence of Sea Power upon History.

● Facilities

The yard has a number of facilities, including the United States Navy Museum, which showcases the history of the United States Navy, with exhibits on World War I, World War II, and the Korean War. The yard is also home to the Navy Art Collection, which features works by artists such as Thomas Hart Benton, Grant Wood, and Norman Rockwell. The yard has a number of historic buildings, including the Commandant's House, which was built in 1804, and the Bureaus of Medicine and Surgery, which was designed by Richard Norman Shaw.

● Shipyard

The shipyard at the yard was a major center for the production of warships, including the USS Constitution, which was launched in 1797, and the USS United States, which was launched in 1797. The yard also produced a number of other notable ships, including the USS Monitor, which was built during the American Civil War, and the USS Maine, which was built in the late 19th century. The yard was also home to a number of notable shipbuilders, including Joshua Humphreys, who designed the USS Constitution, and John Fitch, who designed the Perseverance (steamboat).

● Tenants_and_Commands

The yard is home to a number of tenants and commands, including the United States Navy Sea Systems Command, which is responsible for the design and construction of warships, and the Naval Surface Warfare Center, which is responsible for the development of naval technology. The yard is also home to the United States Marine Corps Institute, which provides training for United States Marine Corps personnel, and the Coast Guard Yard, which is the headquarters of the United States Coast Guard. Other notable tenants include the National Maritime Intelligence-Integration Office, which is responsible for maritime intelligence, and the Office of Naval Research, which is responsible for naval research.

● 2013_shooting

On September 16, 2013, a mass shooting occurred at the yard, when Aaron Alexis opened fire on personnel, killing 12 people, and injuring 3 others. The shooting was one of the deadliest in United States history, and led to a number of changes in gun control laws, including the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. The shooting was also the subject of a number of investigations, including one by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which was led by James Comey, and one by the United States Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, which was led by Tom Carper.

● Geography_and_climate

The yard is located on the Anacostia River, in the Southeast quadrant of Washington, D.C.. The yard is situated near a number of other notable landmarks, including the United States Capitol, the Supreme Court of the United States, and the Library of Congress. The yard has a humid subtropical climate, with hot summers, and cold winters, with notable weather events including Hurricane Isabel, which occurred in 2003, and the North American blizzard of 1993, which occurred in 1993. The yard is also home to a number of parks and green spaces, including the Anacostia Park, which is managed by the National Park Service, and the Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, which is a National Park. Category:United States Navy